Applicator

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an applicator, in particular a brush for the electrocution, wherein the applicator is rotationally mounted and the brush has conductive and non-conductive bristles.

In response to the weakening and destruction of plants by means of electric current, it is of paramount importance that the electrical energy is introduced so as to spatially reach all target areas/plants in a manner, which is as target-oriented (with as little loss) as possible with small transition resistance (maximum energy transmission into plant organs, in particular root) and comprehensively. This is made possible only insufficiently by means of the currently available applicators and the controlled use thereof in many fields of application, which go far beyond the mere agricultural sector, also to the use for traffic areas, nature reserves, etc.

The invention relates to the technical field of the mechanical-electrical devices for the target-oriented and energetically advantageous transmission of electrical energy to plants and solid subsoils, in order to improve the effect on plants and other organisms and to thereby use novel appliance combinations and materials in an inventive manner. More specifically, it relates to the combination of applicators, which are controlled and can be moved in different ways by means of actuators and which selectively detect the contact areas and prepare and implement the maximum contact of the target object with the current in an integral step. The used current can be uniform current or pulsed direct and alternating current with arbitrary curve of current and voltage, which is used in the high-voltage range of 0.5 kV at frequencies of 500 Hz and more up to the three-digit KHz.

It is the goal of all methods for controlling harmful organisms to reach them as comprehensively as possible (without omissions) with few operations as long-term as possible and so as to act on all vital organism parts, if possible, and to thereby exert as few side effects as possibly by damaging useful plants, useful organisms in general, soil/subsoil condition and other environment.

The most widely used method for elimination of plants is the elimination thereof by means of chemical agents with phytotoxic properties. They are sprayed from a universally usable sprayer onto the plants from the top, the side or from spraying systems submerging into the crop, and reach said plants by means of the nebulization, gravity and calculated air flows to such a large extent that an almost complete killing is possible. The plant protection products often do not only act on the directly reached parts, but through transport in the organisms. The chemical substance mixtures, however, lead to residues in plant, soil and food or are introduced into bodies of water and remote ecosystems by means of rainwash and by being blown away, or become more and more ineffective due to resistance of the plants. These are the reasons why a plurality of limitations of use exist, including the complete prohibition of use for certain areas (e.g. traffic areas) or cultivation systems (contract cultivation, certified cultivation systems, ecological farming).

Purely mechanical weeding apparatuses comprising brushes or hooks, which, however, have a number of disadvantages, which are inherent to the system, are also known:

-   1. Brush methods can only be used in the case of very small weeds,     sufficiently dry and loose crumb structure of the soil and require     frequent repetitions and have a high dependence on weather     conditions. -   2. In the case of desiccation uses of brushes and striking     mechanisms, the leaves are destroyed, which is either associated     with damage to the fruit (rape, grain), or the roots and shoot     centers can lead to unwanted new shoots (potatoes). -   3. When using brushes on hard soils, the growth centers of plants     close to the surface can only be damaged effectively, when an     abrasion and damage risk for the subsoil does not simultaneously     exist per se. -   4. Any soil cultivating method (hoeing, harrowing, plowing) conveys     new seeds to the surface and promotes the regrowth of weeds with     simultaneously increased erosion risk for the soils, which can also     lead to the destabilization of soil structures. The soil structure     is generally damaged significantly by means of soil displacement,     which, however, is unavoidable in order to destroy roots, which are     close to the surface. -   5. Depending on the exact work task, a plurality of special tools is     required.

Applicators, which obtain their geometric selectivity from mechanical spacers and strip-like arrangements, are known from the literature and from practice. In the case of the applicators lying on the soil, devices comprising very different individual widths are known, which are pushed onto the target objects or the soil by means of gravity or spring pressure and which accordingly adapt to the thickness of the biomass layer or the soil profile. They can be spring steel loops, flat elements or, e.g., chains or plates pulled across the soil.

Most of the applicators have in common that they glide at least one-dimensionally across objects and can thereby automatically adapt well to large profile structures only to a very limited extent and thus make the use of appliances flexible. The target objects are furthermore not actively further prepared so as to reduce transition resistances, and the intensity and local position of the contact can only be changed by means of mostly complex mechanical changes on the apparatus or cannot be actively controlled.

A rotor/stator system comprising plates, which are moved about a roller, which is to harm the plant stem surface and is to thus reduce the necessity of high currents and voltages by the reduction of the resistance, are described in old patents for weeds on fields. The electroconductive component had been the stator in this case. A more in-depth description of the target plants and fields of application as well as a more precise description, how the rotating plates are to harm the plant surface without clogging too quickly, does not occur.

The use of electroconductive liquids as contacting agent is another attempt to reduce the transition resistances, which, in response to the application by spraying (energy flow in the spray jet) or by means of moistened pads, however, leads to significant problems in the energy transmission in the first case and to the contamination and fouling in the second case. This is why no such systems are known in practice. In the case of any liquid applications, in the case of which the soil or the entire plant is wetted as well, it is furthermore highly likely that energy then discharges through the liquid film and the inner structures of the stems and roots are damaged significantly less.

In practice, the use of the electrically acting devices known from these publications for the plant destruction is frequently associated with disadvantages. Large plants can cover small plants in the case of flat growth and can prevent the flow-through thereof. Hard, dry, very hairy, waxy leaves or the bark of branches and twigs ensure a high transition resistance between applicator and plant, so that large amounts of energy are lost in the shoot, even though mainly the roots or low-lying growth points are to be destroyed or strongly weakened. Non-conductive plant parts (branches) or remainders of foreign plants (stubbles on fields) can make access to the target plants by means of applicators of purely electrical devices, which glide across them, impossible. The often highly irregular surface of the regions to be cultivated furthermore reduces the contact area and thus also the reachability and contact time with the target objects. The herbicidal efficacy of the known devices is thus often not always sufficient, or unwanted damages to the useful plants are observed in the case of sufficient herbicidal efficacy, or the energy consumption becomes unacceptably high both economically and ecologically, and the operating speed too low for a functionally acceptable use of the device in large varieties of fields of application.

In particular in the case of applications for the highly selective and gentle treatment of plants (desiccation in the case of rape, grain and potatoes), but also on and at the edge of traffic areas and in natural reserves, additional requirements are possibly also important, which arise due to a protection of the surrounding soil (erosion, mixing), the protection of the useful plants, the damages to human artefacts (water pipes, historical pavements, etc.) or due to necessary movement speeds of the carrier vehicle (rail transport, road transport, sowing processes, etc.). The controllable and thus broad and flexible use of the apparatuses without retrofitting in order to make them cost-efficient and practical, is thereby of particular importance.

The problems known from the prior art are solved by means of a device comprising the features of patent claim 1. Advantageous further developments are the subject matter of the subclaims. Further ideas of the invention, which, individually, are also essential for the invention, follow from the description and the figures.

Depending on the application purpose, rotary or disk brushes proposed according to the invention comprising different types of bristles or bristle combinations rotate with and without contacting the soil surface, but always with contacting the target plants at that location, where the plants are the target object. Due to the type of the bristles (length, flexibility, type), basic properties can be roughly defined. By means of a flexible parameterization of the entire apparatus (driving speed, rotational speed, direction of rotation, distance to plants and soil), the abrasion, exposure time and access range necessary for the sufficient destruction of the plants or other organisms can be set. The apparatus thus becomes usable in a highly flexible manner. A sensor-controlled turn-off of the current can reduce the energy consumption even further. It is important to take into account in the case of all effect descriptions that in addition to plants, all organisms adhering to the plant organs can also be target objects of the killing or weakening and that, e.g., the killing of snails in the upper soil can even be the primary target effect without plant contact.

The high use versatility of each of the embodiments according to the patent, which has the goal of coming close to the very high flexibility of the spray applications, is thus novel. Particular focus is On the brush materials described in the patent as embodiments of the invention. Different elements, which can be used cumulatively or alternatively, are proposed for this purpose:

The first element A) preferably includes a device for treating areas with unwanted organisms (preferably, but not exclusively plants, but also unwanted other organisms (e.g.

snails or nematodes)) with electrical energy, consisting of applicators, which can be set in transversal and/or rotational motions by means of controlled actuators, for high-voltage, pulsed or continues direct or alternating current with different selected frequency and wave packets, sensory or mechanical control elements, linear current transmission elements, with mechanically translative and/or abrasive properties, completely or partially electrically controllable applicator elements, rigid or flexible, preferably approximately linear control, sensor and/or mobility components, which are not discussed in more detail here, wherein at least one of the applicators can, but does not have to, also be sequentially linked to or completely integrated in a direct mechanical component (B).

The second element B) preferably consists of at least one translative mechanically or sensorially controlled actuator for the height setting and possibly side alignment of the applicator above the ground, consisting of: pneumatic cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, electrical actuating motor comprising axle and/or mechanical actuator (spring).

The third element C) preferably has at least one controllable rotatory/rotating actuator (also the ground can be a brush applicator), which rotates the respective applicator about a fixed or adjustable horizontal, vertical or oblique axle, consisting of: electric motor, hydraulic motor or other rotatory drives; alternatively an approximately flat brush arrangement, which can optionally be set into circular or elliptical motions by means of lateral movement in several linear axles.

The fourth element D) preferably serves the purpose of transmitting abrasive effect on the target objects by means of preferably linear transmission units of the current (see FIG. 1).

The elements, which transmit the current, can thereby:

-   1. preferably, but not exclusively be fastened radially or obliquely     to the rotating applicator and can be one of the basic brush shapes     shown in FIG. 2, -   2. have a material-related or additive-related high conductivity,     which can be reached as follows: metal wires, narrow metal strips     (preferably steel), braided metal ropes, nylon or other polymers     filled with carbon and or metal fibers, polymers with metallic     additives in particular CuS as individual rods or as braided or     otherwise connected units, braided or otherwise solidified mixed     filaments of plastic and metal threads, -   3. due to the process, have an electrical conductivity, which can be     distributed inhomogenously, plastic coated/cast metal wires or     braided metal stones with contacts on the lower end, metal     fiber-filled polymer fibers, from which metal fibers protrude     laterally by means of abrasion of the softer plastic, porous spongy     or tissue-like materials, which obtain their conductivity from water     with salt portion, hollow fibers or fiber bundles, which obtain     their conductivity and contactability on the lower end from water,     which is pushed through, -   4. have a stiffness/flexibility, which can be controlled by     rotational speed and flexural strength, -   5. due to the material, have particularly abrasive properties:     fraying ends or laterally interrupted individual fibers of braided     metal ropes, edges of wires and narrow metal strips, metal fillings     laterally protruding from polymer fibers, mixed filaments with     laterally protruding metal portions (see FIG. 1)

6. due to the use, have the abrasive properties to a certain extent at certain locations and which are permanently maintained during the use, namely: larger abrasion of the plastics repeatedly exposes metal fibers/threads on the surface, bending-resistant metal fibers of appropriate thinness against breaking, braided plastic ropes or individual fibers can act sufficiently abrasively in response to a sufficient speed and alignment,

-   7. have additional apparatuses for minimizing tear-off sparks and     minimize the effects thereof, namely: quick switch-over of pulses,     addition of water to the brushes or sprayed directly into the     tear-off zones, rounding of metal tips by combination of harder     metals on the edge, -   8. have specific covers to ensure safety and spark suppression,     namely: metal-laminated glass fiber as breakdown protection and     Faraday shielding, grid areas for risk-free control, which can be     cleaned by means of pressurized water, -   9. lead to the prevention of an unwanted current drain via specific     mechanisms, namely: turn-off when no plant in the vicinity (sensors)     but soil contact, turn-on after interpretation of current patterns,     specific turn-off of applicator brush segments, -   10. have, as combination of different linear transmission units     (bristle types) in a rotational body for optimizing the effect of     abrasion and current transmission:

As combination of shorter conductive bristles with longer non-conductive and softer bristles for combination of cleaning and electrocution applications in a brush as a function of the penetration depth and the current control (see FIG. 3).

The fifth element E) preferably has one or several transmission modules of the electrical energy to the brush body or individual bristle packets, consisting of

-   1. sliding contact of the bristles on an electrical contact and/or -   2. encapsulated sliding contact on the bristle axle for transmission     to the entire brush or portions thereof. Wherein according to the     invention either the high voltage (<1000 V) to be output by the     brush is already transmitted to the rotatory unit or the transformer     also sits in the rotating part of the brush and thus only the normal     voltage (approx. 100-250 V), which can be conducted and transmitted     more easily and more safely is applied to the sliding contact. For     the latter case, further control signals can optionally be     transmitted by means of wireless communication with a data interface     (e.g. sender as in the case of tire pressure monitoring), which is     not susceptible to interference.

With the possible property of already interrupting the current in a spark-free controlled manner in particular in the case of soil-contacting systems, as long as there is still contact between bristle and soil (rotatory segment contacts) or after the contact.

FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment, in the case of which only the brush segments located on the bottom are energized, while the upper brush segments are always turned off, preferably before the contact with the plants breaks off.

The sixth element F) consists of one or several application units for water for the self-cleaning of the systems at regular intervals without current with maximum free rotation or also for cleaning areas and objects after turn-off of the electrocution currents.

The seventh element G) consists of one or several controls and sensors: control unit of all actuators and of the current supply for the parameterization of the mode of action for the corresponding application region, for setting abrasion intensity, contact time, contact area size and/or surface protection including (parameter/impact on):

-   -   1. rotational speed/impact on contact time, contact area,         abrasion intensity     -   2. direction of rotation     -   3. driving speed of the carrier vehicle     -   4. height of the brush above ground     -   5. immersion depth into the target plants

The brush size serves as aid for the parameterization of contact duration, immersion depths and attainable stiffnesses by rotational speed, driving speed, height above ground, immersion depth, etc.

In their electrical effect parameters and their geometric arrangement relative to the soil or to the plants, all applicators can, via the control unit, receive and implement influencing information from co-moving sensors, read-out operating parameters (current flow etc.) or information spatially assigned from other data sources for the electrical and physical parameterization.

The eighth element H) relates to the options for different attachment locations: upstream of, side, below, downstream from the transmission vehicle.

All elements and options can be arbitrarily combined.

Application examples for the description of the special advantages:

Roadside treatment: By using a rotatable brush unit, areas directly on the side of the road can be killed off. A partial electrification of the brush only directly on the side of the road is thereby also particularly expedient. The remainder of the brush then only sweeps trash out of the treatment region. Around posts and signs, the entire brush can be energized and these regions can be freed from growth quickly and long-term, as a normal mowing with standard machine cannot do.

Free area treatment (gravel, pavement, asphalt): The bristles can be sufficiently soft and the hardness and removal force can be set dynamically by means of the rotational speed, so that the soil surface is not damaged.

Treatment roadside markers: The posts on the side of the road consist of plastic and can only be freed from plants all around on the lower end by means of complex additional equipment. So that the freeing, which is much rarer as compared to the normal mowing, is sufficient, it is expedient to not only shorten the grass in the immediate surroundings in front of and behind the post, but to kill it off. If two counter-rotating brushes (roller brushes or plate brushes) with sufficiently soft nylon bristles are used as longest bristles, the post can be gently cleaned with little water addition. If the brush then moves down almost to soil contact, the plants can either be killed off directly by means of current by means of soft highly-conductive bristles, or shorter metal bristles now come into contact with the plants and establish the contact. The plants are thus removed more long-term for the benefit of road safety and the posts are cleaned at the same time (see FIG. 5).

Guardrail posts: In the case of electroconductive metal posts, operation can also take place completely analogously after setting the brush distance by extending in the brushes from the side, because the shorter metal bristles also do not touch the posts here (additional scraper possibly expedient as positioning aid), but only the longer plastic bristles still convey the plants to the metal bristles in the case of direction of rotation rotating away on the bottom. Should contact occur nonetheless, this is uncritical, because the guardrails are grounded extremely well and cannot build up any potentials by directly ramming the posts into the ground.

Set-up posts of solar systems, gas pipelines can be treated analogously.

Direct sowing area preparation: direct sowing areas can be extremely heterogenous and uneven, depending on previous crop. In particular snails can hide in grassland mulch with irregular accumulation. In the case of stubble fields, the small weeds and germinated grain kernels between the stubbles can hardly be contacted except with brush systems. Remaining straw can cover entire areas. A brush system comprising a large brush and relatively soft bristles, which are conductive all the way to the tip, and all-around conduction and abrasion potential can prevent a growth of every size here with sufficient grounding via a second brush roller, without displacing earth on the surface in a relevant manner. By means of the double roller contact time, the movement can be sufficiently quick for the immediately following sowing. When deeper weeds are to be controlled, the brush distances can be increased in the first step or the cutting harrows of the direct sowing machine behind the tractor can be used as ground. The drawing in FIG. 6 shows the expected energy flow and an arrangement.

Intermediate row treatment: In the case of the intermediate row treatment, the brush segments of the main axle are farther moved apart or individual autonomous brush applicators are used for each area. The useful plants are protected in all cases by means of non-electroconductive lateral scrapers or covers above the applicators.

Modular brush exchange: When the brush circles are fastened to a modular central axle, the farmer can simply exchange either the individual brush sections or this axle unit himself. He can thus assemble an axle of brush elements, which often have very long bristles, whereby the bristles are definitely larger than the maximum plant height and also have the corresponding row distances. To better protect the useful plants, rigid (gravity) or co-rotating insulator circuits, which can also serve as static spacer from the soil (slightly below bristle length), can be inserted on the edge of the elements (see FIG. 7).

In the alternative, plate brushes can be used as movable individual applicators, which can be displaced on the central fastening by means of quick-release mechanisms and the brush head of which can be exchanged easily. Snail control: Double brushes for flat root control/snails: The primary snail control in the upper soil takes place with the same brushes as the direct sowing area treatment, whereby the focus is here on the conductivity at the tip and the minimized crusting. This is why relatively smooth plastic bristles comprising a sufficient conductivity are preferred, which are lowered from large bristle edges to soil contact. Low rotational speeds reduce the destruction of the soil structure. Where necessary, the bristles can optionally be cleaned by applying water and occasional lift-off and high rotational speeds (rotating at the field end).

Desiccation potatoes: Large rollers flexibly equipped with long bristles with abrasion properties are immersed into the green leaf mass at high speed in double row, rotated to approx. 10 cm above the top of the embarkment so quickly that the majority of the leaves is torn off. It can be expedient to set the roller brushes to different heights and speeds. The underground storage organs (potatoes) are protected, the aboveground organs are weakened to the extent that they dry with high evaporation and lead to a good peel strength. The level of defoliating and energy application required for this can be parameterized as a function of species and ripeness.

Desiccation rape/grain: In response to the desiccation of cereal plants, one needs to proceed with particular caution, so that the seeds are not damaged or lost. The electrodes need to simultaneously penetrate flat into the crop at least to the topmost leaf layer. For this purpose, a rather loosely equipped roller (brush ring distance 2-20 cm) with long relatively stiff brushes (50-150 cm) rotates slowly in the driving direction, so that the bristles penetrate deeply and establish contact, but do not destroy the fruit. The bending caused by gravity minimizes the friction with the fruit and the premature bursting thereof (see FIG. 8).

In the case of systems with a large penetration depth, the bristles are stiffer in the area close to the axle than in the tip area, which reduces the friction even more. The conductive electrodes are immersed fairly perpendicularly due to gravity and are also pulled out of the thicket of plants (mostly rape) fairly perpendicularly again. The brush tips rotate approximately and settably at the same speed with which the entire vehicle moves forward. By adapting the rotational speed and immersion depth, the friction and thus the current transmission can be optimized. This stiffening can both be inherent to each fiber (reinforced basis or higher diameter) and can be implemented by an additional holding system (similar to a casing tube). This can be a good replacement for more elaborate and bulky reel systems (see below).

The flexible brushes allow for a space-saving folding of the entire construction, as is also customary for sprayers with a large operating range.

The contacting can take place even more gently, when a reel is used instead of a brush (see separate paragraph).

Shoot removal under rows of trees and bushes of all types: When using brush systems in the shoot area, the plants are killed off up to the trunks there, but the trees or vines are not damaged in particular in the case of slightly longer protruding, non-conductive plastic bristles, many of them are also not damaged in the case of conductive bristles. Irrigation hoses and posts are not damaged. Weeds, however, are safely removed all-around.

Bush/tree control: The brushes rotate counter-clockwise through the bushes, always in such a way that they do not get stuck on branches, which are too large. Leaves and twigs are damaged thereby and a significant portion of the leaves is also torn off during the current treatment. The significantly weakened bushes lose vitality and die off.

When used against thicker trees, the bark of the trees is damaged by means of very hard plate or cylinder brushes until significant amounts of current can penetrate and weakens the tree just as effectively as entwining in spite of smaller mechanical damages.

Controlling herbaceous weeds: Brushes destroy small leaves and shoots and thus create a very large contact area for the electrotreatment.

Non-grass/rushes: The brush roller rotates above the useful grass plane opposite the driving direction and thus passes higher grasses or rushes (the higher, the longer) with a high distribution between the applicator bristles. The roughness of the bristle surface damages the blade and leaf surface and lowers the transition resistance of the selective plant destruction (see FIG. 9).

Thistle control and other spiny/wiry plants in meadows and fields: Due to the spines on leaves and branches, it is particularly difficult to effectively contact thistles. The brushes guided over the useful plant detect the higher thistles and establish direct and low-resistance contact until the root networks have also been sufficiently damaged.

Possible embodiments of the above-mentioned bristles/transmission mechanisms

-   metal-filled nylon fibers -   electroconductive plastic bristles -   wire ropes roughened on the end -   wire stones roughened on the side -   nylon ropes with sides and split ends (and metal thread interlining)

Use of reel systems for the gentle electrocution: In response to the electrocution shortly before the ripeness, it is the goal to weaken the above-ground plant parts, which are still green, to the extent that they dry off quickly and evenly. This is particularly important in the case of rape, because large masses of a biomass, which contains water and is still green, can otherwise significantly reduce the threshing success. Pods, which are still green and cannot be threshed, are to dry simultaneously, so that the seeds can be harvested at all. A high ability to harvest with little dependency on weather conditions with high yield is a key economic goal of every farm.

The use of herbicides is prior art, which, however, due to the residue problematic in the product and the environment, the political will to in particular minimize the use of broad-spectrum herbicides, such as glyphosate, and the desire for more biological farming, is increasingly difficult.

The following aspects need to in particular be taken into account:

-   1. At the time of the desiccation treatment, significant portions of     the pods can already have dried to the extent that they burst     prematurely in response to mechanical stress and that the seeds are     lost. -   2. Rape plants are generally branched and tend to entangle on the     field. -   3. Additional driving ruts, which go beyond those, which are     absolutely necessary for spraying, reduce the yield of rape to a     particularly large extent, because wide-ranging damages (seed loss)     are caused due to the entangling and the overrun.

Goal of the invention:

-   1. Desiccation method for the aboveground plant killing/drying out     without chemical substances/herbicides -   2. Method, which works with the same operating range as the use of     spraying -   3. Methods, which mechanically stresses the pods, which are mostly     located in the upper third of the plant, as little as possible -   4. Use of implements, which can be retrofitted to desiccation in the     grain with as little effort as possible. -   5. Use of the entanglement structure and of leaf material, which is     still abundant and contains a large amount of water, for the current     transmission in the herb layer. -   6. Sufficiently long contact areas, so that the driving speed can be     maximized -   7. Use of the crop density, which is generally quite homogenous, on     the fields -   8. Simple assembly and transportability of the entire device on the     road

A reel with a large operating range and the following properties is a basic element of the device according to the invention for the electrocution of sensitive field plants for the purpose of the electrocution (in particular rape, but also other cultures, such as grain, cotton, etc.):

-   1. The operating range is between 4 and 40 m. -   2. The reel diameter is at least 50 cm, preferably 1-2 m. In     individual cases, it can be expedient to use several reels directly     one behind the other (possibly also as 2 poles). -   3. The electrical power for the electrocution is between 3 and 120     kW, when using high voltage between 1 KV and 30 kV and the use of     pulsed direct current or high-frequency alternating current     (1000-30000 Hz). -   4. The reel is operated electrically in one or several power     circuits. -   5. Either soil grounds in the ruts serve as ground or, in the     alternative, the reel can also partially be designed as phase and     partially as ground, when a flow-through and destruction of the root     area turns out not to be appropriate for individual cultures and     growth densities. -   6. The reel consists of lightweight construction materials (steel,     composite materials, aluminum, fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon     fiber-containing components). -   7. The rotatory reel elements have at least 4 corner units, up to 12     corners can be reached. -   8. Depending on the design, the reel includes either a central axle     as static pressure element or at least some pressure and tensile     load elements in the outer area. -   9. The reel is completely self-supporting or at least in the outer     elements. -   10. The corners are connected to electroconductive static elements     or wires, which are under mechanical stress (see FIGS. 10 and 11). -   11. The reel either consists of individual modules, which can be     connected by means of quick-release mechanisms, which are     disassembled piece by piece after the use for the transport (each     part can be handled by a person), or they can be pushed together for     the transport and can be rotated on the trailer to the extent that     they can participate in the road traffic without overwidth. -   12. The total system is attached either directly to the tractor or     is installed on a separate trailer. In response to the installation     on a separate trailer, possibly with extendable axle, it is possible     to transport the unit in an underlaid manner. -   13. The reel is driven by an electric motor or several motors in the     central area and rotates on the outer edge approximately at the     movement speed of the towing vehicle with the upper side in driving     direction. -   14. The entire reel or at least the electrodes, which hang down, is     energized, wherein a portion of the electrodes can also be used as     ground, depending on the design.

In FIG. 11, 6 contact electrodes hang on the reel, only the soil is used as ground in the illustration on the left, and every second contact electrode of the 6 contact electrodes is additionally used as applicator as ground in the illustration on the right. This leads to more energy flow in the leaves.

-   15. FIG. 12 shows that contact electrodes of different stiffness and     shape hang from the wires at a distance of 5-50 cm, depending on     culture—conductive units, which are suitable to penetrate     sufficiently deeply into the biomass, however, definitely hang     downwards. -   16. The contact electrodes, which are 10-150 cm long, penetrate into     the plant layer due to gravity by utilizing the lowering impulse. -   17. To improve contact, nozzles for water distribution are     available, if needed. -   18. These contact electrodes can have the following materials and     embodiments: -   straight electrodes of weight-minimized conductive metal -   round wires, metal strips bent in a V- or U-shaped manner (see FIG.     13) -   stiff conductive plastics -   the basic shape of the electrode is straight -   shapes, which minimize in particular the movement in the upper area     in response to immersing into the herb layer (pod protection) and     minimize it in the lower area and which keep the necessary force for     the penetration optimization small and possibly increase the contact     area and duration in response to pull-out due to higher resistance.     This means a bending opposite to the driving direction (to the rear) -   In the case of lose crops, a two- or three-dimensionally waved shape     for the contact maximization (see FIG. 14). -   If expedient, in the case of very high biomass development, a     tip/cutting edge for penetrating leaves (tear-off sparks are     irrelevant in the case of the high water contents) on the lower end     of the contact electrodes (see FIG. 15).

All electrocution methods of plants using reel systems are to be protected according to the invention.

The invention also relates to static applicators.

According to the prior art, the metal contacts serve the purpose of transmitting current to the plant parts, which come into contact with the metal parts.

The following applicators are known from patents and equipment:

-   1. metal strips hanging -   2. chains hanging -   3. metal strips bearing on the soil -   4. chains bearing on the soil

All mentioned applicators have in common that they

-   1. can adapt well to profiled surfaces only to a limited extent and     thus only create a small contact area. -   2. have different elements for contacting and infeeding, which     enlarges, complicates the applicators and makes them susceptible to     breakdowns -   3. have to be adapted to a large extent to different applications.

In the side view, the invention proposes circular and drop-shaped applicators in different orientations, depending on the field of application (see FIG. 16). They represent an improvement, which is in accordance with the invention and which is significant, because:

-   1. The bias through the curvature leads to a good contact pressure     without further spring elements. -   2. The individual elements can be designed to be small due to their     simplicity (no further spring elements) and accordingly adapt to the     subsoil contour -   3. The massive spark creation points through sharp ends as tear-off     edges have been replaced by rounds

The invention can also further be improved in accordance with the invention to the effect that:

-   1. The individual applicator elements (round or drop-shaped) as a     whole can be attached to be mounted. The mounting can increase or     lower the contact pressure, depending on setting and weight, which     can be advantageous in particular for gentle desiccation uses (see     FIG. 17, in which the mounting point is suggested as rectangle). -   2. The individual applicator elements can be partially or completely     closed, in order to prevent a entangling and tear-off of plant parts     (desiccation of cereal, such as rape and grain). The closing     elements, which fill the circular area shown in FIG. 17 or the oval     area, can be embodied to be conductive, so as to increase the     contact time in the case of narrow plants, which skim by (rushes,     stiff grasses). Metals, but also electroconductive composite     materials (sandwich) or, e.g. light conductive plastics (e.g. carbon     fiber-containing plastics) can be used here. -   3. The side edges of the applicator elements can reduce the creation     of sparks even further by means of rounding. This profiling can     increase the stability of the elements to the extent that a closure     is no longer necessary, because the stability has been increased, or     a movable support is necessary, so that the stiffness does not     become too large (see FIG. 18).

To minimize tear-off sparks according to the patent, the side edges of the individual metal applicator elements have been rounded, depending on material thickness, have been curved upwards or have been rounded even further massively or have been embodied to be hollow. The conductive applicators can furthermore be applied to a curved carrier profile encompassing them or can be incorporated therein, which carrier profile is insulated on the highly curved tear-off edges and thus makes the tear-off spark formation even more difficult by eliminating sharp edges. Preferred materials for these carrier profiles can be, e.g., a carbon fiber composite material or filled resins, which are possibly still slightly conductive and abrasion-resistant, but do not contribute to the formation of sparks (see FIG. 19). Points 1 to 4 with regard to the design of the applicators are essential for the invention even without the above-described features.

Ground applicators: Due to the fact that the application of strong electrical fields to the soil can be particularly important in order to destroy subsurface plant parts (in particular storage roots, rootstock, root tubers, etc.), an introduction of the current via the shoot is not possible or expedient in all cases. It can be expedient in such cases to systematically introduce the current preferably vertically or horizontally into the soil with a predefined depth profile and to not only use grounding electrodes close to the surface, in order to ground the current flow introduced through plants.

The below-described methods, all of which are fraught with significant problems, exist for the long-term destruction of subsurface plant structures.

-   1. Digging out plant parts: this method is highly labor-intensive     and expensive. It destroys the entire soil structure and the soil     coating and can thus not be implemented in many areas. -   2. Entwining: In response to entwining, 90% of the bark of trees or     large bushes are cut through or sawn through or peeled,     respectively, and one or 2 years later, when the tree has died     completely or has almost died because of this, the chopping takes     place. This requires dangerous work with chainsaws (two-person teams     required), is time-consuming, takes a total of several years and can     hardly be used for bushes. -   3. Glyphosate introduction into trunks/cutting sites: By sawing off     the aboveground plant parts and coating the cutting sites with     glyphosate or other chemical herbicides or the injection of plant     protectants into the trunk, respectively, the roots can also be     damaged. This, however, requires much manual labor and the use and     handling of chemical herbicides. The procedure has to often be     repeated for years. The procedure can hardly or not at all be used     for bushes and plants with thin shoots(grasses). -   4. Herbicide use on the total plants: While the total plant dies off     quite quickly in many cases, weaker new sprouting can further occur.     Due to the fact that much herbicide also falls on surrounding     plants, the vegetation is killed off on a large scale and with     residues, which is not legal or acceptable in many areas. If the     harmful plants can be spatially separated so that they can be coated     selectively with plant protectant, residues and use limitations     nonetheless remain and the roots can only be reached through the     long way through the shoot. -   5. Use of electrical methods only in the soil is not known for the     purely below-ground use. -   6. Depth loosening of soils: Depth loosening ploughs, which are     equipped with a row of narrow deep cutting blades, are known. By     using rotary cutting blades upstream of each blade and compressors     downstream therefrom, the change of the soil surface can be     minimized. -   7. The use of short flexible cylindrical bodies on the lower end of     deep ploughing blades to create temporary soil openings for drainage     or for setting mouse traps is known.

The ground applicators according to the invention described below have the goal of introducing electrical current on a well-defined sufficiently large and self-cleaning area (minimization of the transition resistance) in a predetermined geometry into the soil, so as to thus maximally damage the respective plant parts, which are to be destroyed. The soil structure is to simultaneously be influenced as little as possible for environmental reasons and to reduce damages to useful plants, which may be present on the surface or in certain areas. To minimize the energy consumption, the resistance of the total device in the soil is minimized. The formation of such ground applicators is also significant for the invention, independently of the above-mentioned features, for example with regard to brush applicators.

Perpendicular line wide or narrow: Perpendicular cutting blades penetrate into the soil at a depth of between 30 and 140 cm at a distance of at least 40 cm. The width of the cutting blades lies between 5 and 60 cm. For static reasons and to better sever roots and for the better insertability into the soil, they can be curved or beveled in the driving direction. Upstream of each cutting blade, a rotary cutting blade runs for opening the soil with little soil movement, followed by a solidifier. Every second cutting blade is completely insulated and high voltage is applied thereto. The rotary cutting blades and the packers are each insulated in order to avoid fault currents (see FIG. 20).

In the case of this arrangement, the current flows horizontally in the soil and destroys preferably horizontal root parts, because they conduct better than the surrounding soil (see FIG. 21).

The general invention, which is also essential for the invention independently of the above-made statements, lies in the insulation of cutting blades in certain height areas, in order to use them as applicators for the electrocution.

In a number of applications, it is necessary to electrically insulate parts of the cutting blades:

-   1. So that a current flow flows as directionally as possible through     a predetermined soil zone in accordance with the invention -   2. So that no current conductions take place in unintentional     (perpendicular) directions along the mechanically necessary parts of     metallic cutting blades, which leads to massive energy losses due to     the high conductivity of the cutting blade. -   3. So that no current flows through the upper soil layers, when the     roots at that location are not to be damaged.

The following boundary conditions need to be adhered to thereby:

-   1. The cutting blades are generally made of conductive steel,     because they need to be very stable in order to absorb the forces of     the blade, which goes deep. -   2. The surface of the cutting blades is generally made of metal, so     that it can withstand the high abrasion requirements and impacts     caused by stones, etc. -   3. The outer layer of the blade is perpendicularly conductive to a     non-relevant extent. The high mechanical stress on the cutting     blade, which necessitates the use of meatal, is to be taken into     account thereby.

According to the invention, an insulating hard layer, preferably of a viscoplastic resin, is applied to the basic structure of the cutting blade for this purpose. Approx. 1-5 cm wide metal strips are then applied as current-conducting area to this insulating surface and are connected to the blade in an insulating manner (plugging, casting, inserting into fitting grooves, etc.). This metal layer can consist of thick sheet metal or otherwise deformed fitting pieces. The intermediate areas are then filled with resin and, if necessary, are renewed routinely. A special shaping protects the intermediate areas against abrasion and against excessive bridging due to highly compressed ground.

There are many embodiments of the insulation for this. Should there be a material, which is non-conductive and sufficiently stable on its own, this also applies as an embodiment according to the invention of the partially insulated cutting blade in the context of the entire invention.

To protect the uppermost vegetation layer, the cutting blades can, according to the invention, be insulated in the top 50-500 mm by means of a separate metal covering, in order to provide for an internal potential equalization in each case there (see FIG. 22).

If an introduction only into larger depth is provided, the entire perpendicular part of the blade is insulated (see FIG. 23).

Perpendicularly insulated flat blades only open on the bottom lead to a layer insulation.

Pull down wire rope on the bottom for transmission improvement: In particular when the current is to be introduced as two-dimensionally as possible in flexible yet defined depth and the tensile strength needs to be minimized, the below-described apparatus according to the invention can fulfill these purposes in a new way. The device consists of:

-   1. a perpendicular cutting blade, the width of which is only defined     from the necessary stability, -   2. can be curved or inclined in the driving direction for better     handling in the soil, -   3. is conductive or layer-insulated, depending on the intended use -   4. can possibly be used with round cutting blade placed in front,     which can possibly be used as earth, -   5. and subsequent solidifier (packer), which can possibly be used as     earth and possibly -   6. includes a steel rope attached to the plough heel, conductively     connected to the plough heel, in addition to the non-insulated     plough heel or also alone on the lower end, -   7. at least one steel rope, which can also be guided down to attain     length variability by means of the blade or on the rear end of the     cutting blade -   8. the steel rope can be self-cleaning due to its smooth outer skin.     The surface resistance is thus minimized. The steel rope can be     provided purely cylindrically, with alternating thicknesses or     individual bulges to maximize the soil contact (see FIG. 24).

The combination of the ground applicators with one another and with all other conceivable applicator types, in particular the further mentioned brushes or static applicators is in accordance with the invention.

The following exemplary embodiment thus represent only exemplary applications.

Alternating perpendicularly: Use against plants, which form horizontally branched networks, which are distributed in height, and in particular horizontal storage organs or rhizomes. The cutting blades are alternatingly grounded and high voltage is applied thereto (see FIG. 25).

Alternating in a perpendicularly insulated manner: Use against plants, which have horizontally branched networks in particular in significant depth and in particular form horizontal storage organs or rhizomes. The cutting blades are alternatingly grounded on the bottom and high voltage is applied thereto. The highly concentrated effect takes place in the depth with minimal impact of flat rooters (see FIG. 26).

The length of the insulation is variable, depending on the surface to be protected (see FIG. 27).

Perpendicularly insulated against slicing applicator or packer: use against plants, which mainly form perpendicular networks and in particular perpendicular storage organs (taproots, roots, etc.) or rhizomes. High voltage is applied to the cutting blades on the bottom and they act against an earth at or on the surface, which can be embodied as slicing or packer, depending on the surface characteristic. The grounding thus takes place just below, directly on the earth surface or through compressed plants (see FIG. 28).

Perpendicularly insulated depth applicator against brush applicator: Use against plants, which mainly form perpendicular networks and in particular perpendicular storage organs (taproots, roots, etc.) or rhizomes. High voltage is applied to the cutting blades on the bottom and they act against an earth on or at the surface, which can be embodied as brush, depending on the surface characteristic. The effect takes place extensively on soil and plant parts, wherein larger plants slide particularly well and longer and are thus also destroyed more strongly in the shoot and upper root area (see FIG. 29). If necessary, the brush applicator can also be placed on the front of the towing vehicle (not shown).

Wire rope applicator alternatingly deep: Use against plants, which have horizontally branched networks, in particular in significant depth and in particular form horizontal storage organs or rhizomes. The cutting blades and wire ropes are grounded alternatingly on the bottom and high voltage is applied thereto. The long exposure time, which is distributed very broadly, takes place in the depth with minimal impact of flat rooters (see FIG. 30).

Wire rope applicator deep against packer or round cutting blade: Use against plants, which mainly form perpendicular networks and in particular perpendicular storage organs (taproots, roots, etc.) or rhizomes. High voltage is applied to the cutting blades on the bottom and act against a ground on or close to the surface (see FIG. 31).

Wire rope applicator flat against plants/surfaces applicator (e.g. brush): Use against plants, which have tight networks with flat roots below the surface and here also form horizontal storage organs or rhizomes. The cutting blades and wire ropes are uniformly grounded on the bottom and are laterally insulated identically as the round cutting blades and packers. High voltage is applied to the surface or leaf applicator, which completely covers the surface, possibly even in double row. The long exposure time, which is distributed very broadly, takes place only close to the surface with minimal impact of flat rooters (see FIG. 32).

In the case of all of the methods mentioned here, the detection of small animals, such as nematodes and snails is in each case a further possible target option in addition to the destruction of the plant parts. 

1. An applicator for electrocution, wherein it is rotationally mounted.
 2. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein it is a brush.
 3. The applicator according to claim 2, wherein the brush has conductive and non-conductive bristles.
 4. The applicator according to claim 2, wherein several brushes are arranged spaced apart on an axle or shaft.
 5. The applicator according to claim 2, wherein bristles of the brush have areas of different flexibility.
 6. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein it is a reel.
 7. The applicator according to claim 6, wherein the reel has hanging contact electrodes.
 8. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein it can be set in transversal and/or rotational motions by means of actuators.
 9. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein high-voltage, pulsed or continues direct or alternating current with different selected frequency and wave packets can be applied to it.
 10. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein it has sensory or mechanical control elements, linear current transmission elements, with mechanically translative and/or abrasive properties.
 11. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein it has completely or partially electrically controllable applicator elements.
 12. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein it has rigid or flexible, preferably approximately linear control, sensor and mobility components, wherein at least one of several applicators can also be sequentially linked to or completely integrated in a direct mechanical component (B). 